Even though I'm on a blogging break, I wanted to take some time and introduce to you a suspenseful read by D.A. Bale. Before I let D.A. talk about her expectations of what makes a good suspense/mystery book, check out the cover and synopsis for her book, Running into the Darkness, and be sure to check out the cool giveaway at the end of the post.

Death follows Dr. Samantha Bartlett
throughout her life until it claims everyone close to her.
There's one powerful man responsible on whom Samantha sets her
sights for revenge. The price is her soul. For centuries, sex
has been the weapon of men...now it's her turn.
“I never intended to kill the President. As a doctor, I swore
an oath to protect life – not take it. But that was before...”
Second year resident, Dr. Samantha Bartlett, is swept from the
frigid New York winter to once again confront the sting of
death back home – and face those she left behind. But she’s
not alone. A strange man she dubs Shades haunts her every step
as she seeks answers to the inferno which claimed her
grandmother, an eerie reminder of her parents’ deaths. The
secrets Samantha uncovers forever changes her image of those
she only thought she knew.
Confronted by Shades, Samantha joins a secret underworld known
only as the Elite, where a web of power and control is woven
deep within governments worldwide. Their sights are set on the
power structure of the United States, and Samantha becomes the
unlikely key to infiltrating the White House at its most
intimate levels. The quest for blood threatens to destroy Samantha. From the
darkness there is no escape.

D.A. on what makes a good suspense/mystery read

Have you ever picked up a novel and got what you
expected?Now let me ask another
question.

Was this a good thing? Call me weird – and yes, I’m okay with that designation –
but I’m not necessarily happy with the expected when I read.Don’t get me wrong here; there are certain
anticipations with every genre.When you
read romance, you know the guy will eventually get the girl.With mystery, you’re trying to figure out who
did it.Horror, you expect to pee your
pants when the boogeyman jumps out from under the bed.Readers are typically perusing the shelves
for something familiar from their genre of choice.

But what if you were surprised?Pleasantly surprised? Thrillers and suspense are some of my favorites:action, adventure, and the bad guys getting
their butts kicked by the good guy/girl.However, when I figure out pretty much the entire plot in the first few
pages, it turns what could have been an interesting read into a real letdown.So in my opinion, what makes a good
thriller?I’m glad you asked.

Thrillers are usually known for action, action, and lots of
action, but I also like moments woven into the story that allow me to get to
know the primary characters.What is it
in their backgrounds that play into motivation for why they make the choices
they do throughout the novel?How have
their choices led them to where they are?These tidbits give them purpose, help me determine whether their actions
have merit and make them feel three-dimensional – like real people.I need to feel connected to them in some way.

Layers to the storyline add depth and dimension, keeping me
guessing as to what potential direction(s) the novel could take.It’s a good book when I am not sure what
happens next or how a character or event ties into the main arc.Many stories are very linear:point A leads to point B, to point C, and so
on until we get to point Z.That works
for a lot of people.But I love the
novels that take me from point A to point M, back to D and so on.That’s rather the way I write too!But the important thing is that all of these
little loose ends eventually tie together somehow.If secondary or tertiary characters and
situations are tossed in willy-nilly and never meet the main arc somewhere, it
just seems more like unnecessary filler.

What about the bad guys?They need to be REALLY bad!Not
caricatures, mind you, but nasty, sick, twisted, and messed up characters who
don’t give a rats-rear-end about anyone but themselves and the power they
crave.If you have any knowledge of history,
it’s full of super nasty individuals (Hitler anyone?).You many have experienced a few bad guys of
your own in real life – I have too.When
there’s a really good bad guy, it makes their comeuppance that much sweeter.

Believe it or not, a dose of humor makes for a good thriller
read too.Humor gives another element of
depth to people, as long as it is still true to the character and isn’t too
disruptive to the story flow.It also
allows for a bit of a breather in the midst of non-stop action and when the
stakes ramp up and threaten to spin out of control.

So give me a good thriller to read any day, as long as it
keeps me on my toes, on the edge of my seat, and still guessing about what’s
coming when I turn the page.This, in my opinion, is what takes the
expected into the realm of pleasantly surprised.Happy reading!

Thanks for the enlightening post, D.A.! If you would like to purchase a copy of the book, it is available at Kindle, Nook, andSmashwords.

VEry interesting post! I totally agree getting a read that is what you expect is a bit boring, but picking up a great thriller or suspense and finding crazy twists that boggle your mind is so much fun. I love a good thriller!

I agree that unexpected turns, characters that seemingly have no place in the story and then finally connect to the story make for a better thriller. And a truly evil bad guy, that's what makes a thriller for me! And yes, humor is always great, no matter what type of book I'm reading. I might just have to read your novel. I love murder and politics!!Heather

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I am a librarian at Maine East High School. The opinions and content of this blog are my own and are not that of my employer.
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